The Shure SM57 is one of the most popular professional instrument microphones of all time. The dynamic SM57 mic performs reliably delivering natural sound night after night. Its durable, bulletproof design stands up to road travel and abuse. Perfectly at home in the studio too. The Shure SM57 boasts wide frequency response (40Hz-15kHz) and a tight cardioid polar pattern that are ideal for close-in speaker miking.

FEATURES Audio

Frequency response: 20Hz to 20kHz

Max SPL: 149 dB

Pattern and type

Capsule: Dynamic

Pattern: Cardioid

Type: Mounted/handheld

Applications: Stage, studio

Phantom pwr required: No

Size and weight

L x W x (D): 6.375 x 1.25"

Weight: .6 lbs.

Included accessories

Case: Pouch

Clip: Hard rubber

Order today if you don't have one. If you do, order another. You'll need it eventually.

If I Could Go Back In Time.....I Would Buy an SM57 For My First Mic (actually a pair)

I've been seriously recording music for the last 7 years...and tinkering around with recording on old 4 tracks for many years before before that. I purchased a pair of SM57's to...Read complete review

I've been seriously recording music for the last 7 years...and tinkering around with recording on old 4 tracks for many years before before that. I purchased a pair of SM57's to use on snare since I've read so many times that the SM57 was used to record snare on so many classic albums. Somehow, against all odds, I've managed to never use a SM57 in my lifetime. I used SM58's for live vocals many times (I never cared for the muddyness) and the beta58 which was not a match for my vocals at all. Because of these experiences, I never really wanted to buy Shure microphones. The only other Shure mic that I own is an SM7 which is an absolutely fantastic mic in every regard. Anyway back to the SM57...it arrived in the mail...I hooked it up to a very clear, neutral, and natural pre (focusrite isa) so I could just hear the response of the mic....I tried some vocals first...WOW!!!! I recognized the classic sound immediately from old albums. The SM57 rolls off the unusable lows but retains warmth, it has an unbelievably SMOOTH and musical midrange, and the highs are smooth and present without making your ears feel like they are being stabbed by large daggers (like every cheap chinese condenser I've ever heard). Honestly, the SM57 fits my vocals better than the majority of the far more expensive mics that I own. I'm not knocking Neumann because they obviously make fantastic microphones, but I'd rather use the SM57 for vocals than my TLM103. Does it matter that the specs on the SM57 are less impressive the TLM103...nope....it only matters how the mic handles the task that you throw at it. The SM57 chops off more lows and highs, but it sure does sound good doing it. Next I grabbed an old Gibson Southern Jumbo acoustic and started strumming away....the mic was 12 to 18 inches away and pointed in the vacinity of the 12th fret.....again, I immediately recognized this sound from classic albums....it's a very nice, smooth and forgiving midrangy sound that sits really well in a dense mix. If i was going to fingerpick, I'd prefer the Neumann, but the SM57 does a suprisingly respectable job on that as well. I can't wait to try these on snare and guitar amps where they have the most proven track record. In closing, I am absolutly shocked at how great this mic is! I'm even more shocked that it only costs 99 bucks. I finally get why some people are so into Shure microphones. If I could go back in time, I should have purchased this as my first microphone (actually I should have gotten a pair of them). A person could record a whole album with just SM57's and it would sound darn good. Anyway, if you're just starting out, BUY THIS MIC!!!!!! It is far better than a condenser if you are working in an untreated space because it has a tight cardiod pattern that rejects most room noise and other problems. If you have a cheap preamp and are having trouble getting enough gain to this mic (or even if you're not), buy a Cloudlifter by Cloud Microphones, it useds phantom power to generate up to 25 db of super clean FET pre-preamplification...that gives any old dynamic or ribbon mics low noise and high gain and interfaces them perfectly with modern recording systems. If you're thinking (just as I was a week ago) that this mic is far too comman and old to sound as good as some people say...You are wrong...just buy one...They are built like tanks to boot. Good Luck and Happy Recording. I wish I would have read this review 15 years ago:)

VS

Most Liked Negative Review

Not my first choice.

What you record sounds pretty awesome but I still prefer the i5 by Audix. This mic is not bulletproof like everyone claims. I've had 2 that have broken due to being dropped, what...Read complete review

What you record sounds pretty awesome but I still prefer the i5 by Audix. This mic is not bulletproof like everyone claims. I've had 2 that have broken due to being dropped, what happens is the head of the mic becomes wobbly and loose, then due to that the soldered connections eventually wear out and there's nothing you can do about it. I went to my local instrument repair for both mics and they said that it was repairable by jerry rigging it but it would cost more than I would want to put in to have it done.

It's not the best mic in the world, but certainly not the worst. It's been a staple for years and years for a reason. It sound fantastic on snare, pretty good on electric guitar, and pretty bad on everything else. But, you pretty much have to have one. Just don't expect to do things it won't do. Don't use it for acoustic guitar!

If there ever was anything like a DESERT ISLAND mic, if you could only have ONE, THIS IS IT. Everything everyone says about it is true. I've been using them since 1999, my original has been dropped a dozen times, no problems. Anyone who says "there are better mics" is MISSING THE POINT. Not for the price there aren't! This mic can do anything you would ask of it, probably better than you expected. This is IT!

I had high expectations for this microphone since it had the SHURE logo on it. However, I wasn't expecting it to be amazing, seeing as it is a lower priced microphone. I was completely blown out of the water with how clear the sound was coming from this mic. I was recording in a moderately open floor plan the first night I got this thing in the mail, and there is little to no white noise or anything coming through. I just wanted to test it out, so I stuck it by itself in the center of the room, aiming down, and it clearly picked up a guitar, bass, PA with a voice coming through, and a drum set really nicely. The SM57 is such a great deal, I just bought another one. Great mic, low price.

I've been using sm57s for a few years now. I agree with what everybody else has been saying: good price; durable; good sound.

I've used mine for soft vocals and acoustic guitar and there's a problem I haven't seen anyone else address. That is, the output from these mics is relatively weak. Conesequently, the signals are noisy. I've tried changeing preamps; changeing cables; inserting an isolater; and using an active or passive DI box. Nothing has helped much.

I finally bought a pair of Sennheiser 945s, which are much hotter, and the problem is gone.

The SM57 might be perfect for miking a drum set or a guitar amp, or for a screaming vocal, but not very good for quieter music.

As an aside: remember that any mic will need a premap--a dynamic mic more than others.